A Silk in Whitechapel
by csjr
Summary: A Silk/Whitechapel crossover. Chandler and Miles finally manage to bring a suspect in alive, but haven't bargained on the lawyer defending him.


**Note: For the purpose of this crossover, we're going to ignore the fact that some characters look identical. :p**

Joe was aware of a commotion coming from somewhere near the cells. He rounded the corner and saw Miles arguing with a blonde woman holding a briefcase.

"... need to speak to my client," the woman was saying.

"Your client is a psychopath. I wouldn't be doing my job if I left you alone with him. I'm trying to protect you-"

"Don't you dare patronise me!"

"What's going on?" Joe interrupted.

The woman turned to him. "Martha Costello, QC. My client is due in court first thing tomorrow and I need to speak with him before then."

"Shouldn't you have a solicitor with you?" Joe asked.

"His solicitor is unavailable. I only need five minutes."

"With respect, Ms Costello, my colleague is right. Mr Landum is extremely dangerous-"

"That's for the court to decide," Martha interrupted again. Miles made a disbelieving noise.

After a moment's consideration, Joe turned to Miles. "Let her have five minutes. Make sure there's somebody stationed outside the cell."

Miles glared at the lawyer one more time and then summoned a uniformed officer to accompany her down to the cells. Before following the constable, Martha turned and said:

"Congratulations on finally getting someone to court alive. This station has quite a reputation."

"So do you, _Miss_!" Miles called after her. "Maybe he'll finish her off, do us a favour," he muttered to Joe under his breath.

"Do you know her?"

"She's from Shoe Lane. Got silk a year ago. Very good at getting guilty people acquitted."

"There's no way he'll be acquitted. The forensic evidence is too strong."

"You'd better be right."

* * *

Martha gripped her briefcase tightly as she was escorted into the cell. In spite of her bravado in front of DS Miles, she was feeling apprehensive. She'd got this brief last night and had spent most of the day reading the facts of the case. John Landum had - allegedly - killed up to eight men and women in increasingly bizarre ways. The uniformed officer told her that he would be just outside the cell, then stepped out and shut the door. Martha sat down opposite her client.

"Mr Landum, I'm going to be representing you in court tomorrow. I'm going to try to get you bail, otherwise you'll be transferred to a prison to await trial. If we don't get bail tomorrow, we'll have another chance to apply. You won't have to enter a plea until later in the proceedings. Do you understand?"

Landum looked at her with dark eyes. "What are the chances of me getting bail?" he asked, pushing greasy black hair out of his eyes.

"Well, you've got your own home, a job and ties to the community. There's no reason for the judge to think you'll abscond. The main thing against you is the seriousness of the crimes you're charged with."

"Do you want to know if I did it?" Landum asked with a smile creeping across his face.

Martha hesitated. "Like I said, you won't have to enter a plea at this stage. If you decide to plead not guilty, we can look at the details of your defense later in the proceedings."

"And what if I plead guilty?"

"Then we'll be looking at mitigation, but you'll be going to prison for a long time."

* * *

"I thought about becoming a lawyer at one time," Joe said thoughtfully. He and Miles were sitting in his office, a glass of whisky in front of both of them."Then I decided I would rather lock criminals up than defend them. I don't think my father would have forgiven me if I'd become a defense lawyer."

"You could have done prosecution," Miles suggested.

Joe shook his head. "I'd rather catch them and bring them to court than stand up and make speeches at the end. Besides, can you see me in a wig?"

"Frightening thought," Miles agreed.

Suddenly the door burst open and Kent stumbled in. "Sir, Guv - you'd better come."

"What is it?" Joe jumped to his feet. _Not again - not another one..._

"It's Landum - come quickly-"

Joe and Miles raced out of CID and into the main police station, up to the front desk where Martha Costello QC was standing with two uniformed officers. Joe saw with a sinking feeling that the lawyer had a split lip and looked very shaken.

"What's happened?" Joe asked the other officers urgently.

"It's Landum," said the constable grimly. "He's escaped..."

**To be continued...**


End file.
